Only DHS, Glenwood and Maritzburg College have fixtures in August. Who is crowned as the top 1stXV in KwaZulu-Natal will therefore only be decided mid-August.
The big upset this weekend is Michaelhouse’s 20-16 win over Hilton. Michaelhouse trailed 10-13 at the halftime break; however, they scored 10 unanswered points to lead 20-13. Hilton added a late penalty before Michaelhouse’s defence kept Hilton from scoring the winning points during the final 10 odd minutes.
In the other match in KZN, Kearsney welcomed St Albans from Pretoria to Botha’s Hill for the final fixture of their 2026 rugby season and produced a thrilling attacking display to secure a comprehensive 94-10 victory.
The 1st XV wasted little time in making their intentions clear. Following a powerful driving maul, captain Nhlanhla Ndlovu emerged with the ball to score the opening try, with Daniel Miskey adding the conversion.
Just four minutes later, a well-taken high ball by vice-captain Fynn Verbaan created the opportunity for Ndlovu to outpace the defence and cross for his second try of the afternoon.
Kearsney’s attacking momentum continued in the 15th minute when a long-range counterattack, sparked by a brilliant line break from Miskey, ended with hooker Luke Faure dotting down beneath the posts. Two minutes later, a well-executed lineout move saw Keanu Williamson glide through to score another converted try.
The home side’s confidence grew with every phase, and some excellent attacking play directly from the restart allowed Luke Grobbelaar to cross under the poles. St Albans responded with a well-worked driving maul, from which their scrumhalf sniped over in the 23rd minute for their first points of the match.
Kearsney had the final say of the half. A quick tap from Verbaan initiated a series of powerful forward carries before Miskey shifted the ball quickly into space, allowing Grobbelaar to canter over for his second try. The teams headed to the break with Kearsney holding a commanding 40-5 advantage.
The second half followed a similar pattern as Kearsney continued to play with pace, ambition and accuracy. The hosts added a further eight tries, while restricting St Albans to just one more score.
Second half try scorers were Ndlovu (2), Thomas Aylward (2), Thomas Franke, Tunga Griffiths, Daniel Hunwick and Verbaan, as the hosts capped off an outstanding performance with a final score of 94-10.
A convincing victory and a fitting conclusion to their 2026 rugby season, the Kearsney 1st XV’s attacking rugby provided a wonderful spectacle for the home spectators and an excellent way to sign off their campaign.